Last year, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain politely turned down an offer to accept The Oldie of the Year Awards, which is awarded by The Oldie magazine for seniors. But already last Sunday, she became the first monarch in the history of the country to reign for 70 years.
Elizabeth II. Photo: Chris Jackson/Buckingham Palace via Getty Images
The anniversary of her accession to the throne has always been a day of “mixed emotions” for Elizabeth, observers say. For a young woman who unexpectedly became queen at 25, the date is forever tied to the early death of her beloved father, George VI, who passed away at 56. This time, Elizabeth celebrates her anniversary as a widow for the first time. Her beloved husband Philip Prince of Edinburgh, her «strength and support» for 73 years, who left last April, she recalls in every big speech.
Celebrations will come later. Fireworks, concerts, parades and feasts will take place from February to March. Tree planting continues as part of the Queen's Green Canopy Initiative (about 60,000 trees have already been planted). The «River of Hope» will be held in central London, made up of 200 silk flags decorated with images of hope made from sketches of children's drawings. In May, several performances will take place with the participation of artists and five hundred horses, which will show the history of the country from Elizabeth I Tudor to Elizabeth II Windsor.
A nationwide competition has been announced for the best recipe for Platinum Pudding, «which will be enjoyed at the Grand Anniversary Dinners and generations to come,» the Times anticipates, and «which will probably clog up our dessert menu for a long time,» the Financial Times columnist quipped, recalling how before the coronation in 1953, the “coronation chicken” was invented with mayonnaise sauce and curry.
The main «platinum» celebrations will take place in early summer. For two hundred years, British monarchs have officially celebrated their birthdays in the season that saves from the vagaries of the local weather. This year, residents of the British Isles will get not one, but two extra days off. From June 2 to 5, military parades, thanksgiving services and services, the Epsom Horse Races, a concert of world stars at Buckingham Palace and a Grand Anniversary Dinner are scheduled. More than 200,000 parties and celebrations are expected across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and National Thanksgiving Day is expected to break the record with more than ten million people attending street parties and anniversary dinners. The palaces at Sandringham and Balmoral will be open to the public. And so on and so forth…
The British love and respect their Queen. 83 percent of citizens think that she does her job very well or quite well.
Since 1952, when she took the crown, she has performed her duties «with the highest distinction», according to the Financial Times, and even the leftist press does not deny the dignity and selflessness with which it performs its role. Preserving the pomp of the ritual, she became a model of service, tolerance and even frugality.
Photo: Bettmann/Getty Images
But after the holiday, weekdays will come again.
Elections for the Northern Ireland legislature are due this year, and there is a strong possibility that Sinn Féin, the largest Republican party, will win the post of First Minister. It will be a momentous moment and, as the serious press predicts, a point of acute instability: the party, long considered the political wing of the Irish Republican Army, will take the highest political office in the jurisdiction it seeks to separate from Britain.
A US civil lawsuit against the Queen's second son, 61-year-old Duke of York Andrew, is scheduled for consideration in the fall for a sex crime. Recently, Elizabeth made the difficult decision to remove his royal patronage and the right to officially use the title «His Royal Highness» in order to separate the monarchy from the court case. Prince Andrew denies all accusations.
On the horizon is the publication of the memoirs of one of her grandchildren, who went to live in America, the garrulous Duke of Sussex Harry. It is scheduled for autumn.
In November 2022, the fifth season of The Crown will be released on Netflix about one of the most painful moments of her life — the disintegration of the family of her eldest son, the Prince of Wales and Princess Diana and her tragic death.
< p>The Queen's relationship with current Prime Minister Boris Johnson has also been rocky. He had already twice been forced to formally ask her forgiveness. In 2019, after the Supreme Court ruled that it illegally asked her to prorogate (adjourn) Parliament. And most recently — for parties on Downing Street, not only arranged during a hard lockdown, but also during mourning, on the eve of the funeral of Prince Philip.
However, Elizabeth has already experienced 14 premieres.
For 70 years the world has changed beyond recognition. She led the collapse of the empire, the strengthening of the Commonwealth and the transformation of the institution of the monarchy.
She accepted the exclusively ceremonial role of the monarch, never gave interviews to the media, limiting herself to short TV addresses at Christmas. Her rare political speeches were almost always inspiring.
Before the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, she urged people to “think very well about the future” (and this was enough for them to discuss later whether she allowed herself too much).
“Of course, it’s terrible that we have to force a woman at such a venerable age to work very hard, but this is exactly the case when there is no choice, — an experienced Laborist explains to me, not a monarchist at all. “The whole point of a monarchy is that we don't choose them, and they don't choose their fate. Let her work as long as she can.”
Elizabeth is walking with one of her corgis. 1940 Photo: Hulton-Deutsch/Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis via Getty Images
And although, in general, Elizabeth II, surprisingly, looks quite efficient, she began preparations for the transfer of power. In a recent message to the nation, the Queen wrote: “I remain eternally grateful for the devotion and affection you continue to give me. And when in due time my son Charles becomes king, I know that you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support you gave me; and it is my sincere wish that, when the time comes, Camilla will become queen consort and continue her faithful service.”
According to tradition, the king's wife automatically becomes queen consort (by the way, men who are married to the British monarch do not become kings: neither Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, nor the husband of Elizabeth herself, Philip, was king). True, the queen consort, being the wife of the reigning king, does not formally share the powers of her husband.
When Camilla Parker Bowles, who became the Duchess of Cornwall, married the Prince of Wales in 2005, the court believed she would be HRH Princess Consort. The Duchess of Cornwall was unpopular due to her relationship with Charles when he was still married to popular favorite Diana, Princess of Wales (the couple separated in 1992 and officially divorced in 1996).
But over time, much has changed, and public opinion has gradually become more favorable to Camille, her popularity is slowly but growing. True, Charles himself is still inferior in this matter to both his son William and his wife Catherine (the Dukes of Cambridge), however, as already mentioned, there is no choice. And as experts say, Queen Elizabeth has done everything necessary to ensure that the transition, when the time comes, «is as smooth and hassle-free as possible.» And for Camilla Parker Bowles, according to a former BBC royal correspondent, «the journey from a third person in marriage to a queen in anticipation of a king is complete.» The decision on the title was supported by 41 percent of respondents, against — 10, according to YouCov.
The British dream that their queen bypassed the European record on the throne, which still belongs to the French — the «Sun King» Louis XIV, who ruled 72 years old. And then what? “We hope and believe,” The Times wrote recently, “that the search for a more precious metal to honor such a precious woman will continue.”